Villa Park Stymies Bid To Split Lots

A Villa Park resident who wants to save four large trees on a site he seeks to subdivide into four lots has met resistance from the Villa Park Village Board over the size of two of the lots.

The board balked Monday night at his request to turn three lots into four in the 200 block of East Madison Street even though the village plan commission has approved the request.

The property is owned by Eraldo LaPietra, 131 S. Euclid Ave.

The dispute between the two village agencies developed because two of the lots would be 55 feet wide, instead of the standard 60 feet. LaPietra said that to make them 60 feet wide would require destroying four large evergreen trees. He said he bought the lot because of the trees.

Rae Rupp Srch, plan commission chairman, said village ordinances allow for undersized lots if other lots in the area, as is the case, are undersized. Village Trustee Lawrence Kenyon said at the board meeting that the fact that the plan commission can waive the 60-foot width requirement does not mean it has to. He said he wanted more information about where the trees are, what is to be built there and where the structures will be.

In addition, the plan commission recommended waiving the required sidewalks because there are few others in the area and requiring LaPietra to put them in would serve little purpose.

LaPietra said he has moved an existing home on the site, plans to build two houses there and will keep the easternmost lot vacant for now. In addition to the two undersized lots, there would be one 77.7 feet wide and one 75 feet wide. All would be 203 feet deep.

The matter was sent back to the plan commission for restudy. Srch, however, showed a reporter the section of the village code that she said upholds the commission`s recommendation in the case.